MSc Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe

The MSc Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe programme is perfect for MSc students looking to gain a deeper understanding of how culture and identity inform contemporary politics and violent conflicts in Europe and beyond.

Our programme takes a multi- and inter-disciplinary approach, using methods of investigation from political theory, philosophy, international relations, political science, sociology and economics. You'll engage with these topics by studying the politics of culture and the culture of politics, analysing how culture structures internal and external conflicts and frames efforts at their resolution.

You'll also have the opportunity to critically examine policies aimed at addressing these conflicts at a national and international level. Plus, you'll be able to choose optional courses from across different disciplines, allowing you to tailor your studies to your interests and career goals.

Join us and become part of a dynamic community of scholars, thinkers, and innovators who are shaping the future of culture and conflict studies.

• B Anderson Imagined Communities: reflections on the origin & spread of nationalism (Verso, 2016)
• Z Bauman Wasted Lives: modernity & its outcasts (Wiley, 2003)
• L Colley The Gun, the Ship and the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions and the Making of the Modern World (Profile, 2021)
• S Glendinning Europe: A Philosophical History, Part 1: the promise of modernity (Routledge, 2021)
• A Pagden The Idea of Europe, from Antiquity to the European Union (Woodrow Wilson, 2010)
• R Scruton The West and the Rest, Globalization and the Terrorist Threat (Bloomsbury, 2003)
• R Wodak Right-wing Populism in Europe (Bloomsbury, 2013)
• S L Woodward The Ideology of Failed States: why intervention fails (Cambridge University Press, 2017)
• D Kostovicova Reconciliation by Stealth: How People Talk about War Crimes (Cornell University Press, 2023)
• J White In the Long Run: The Future as a Political Idea (Profile, 2024)

The European Institute is a multidisciplinary centre for the study of European politics, economics and culture.

Founded in 1991, the institute is the UK's leading centre for the study of Europe, offering a range of master’s programmes and an extensive MPhil/PhD programme. Every year, we welcome more than 200 master’s and 30 doctoral students from all regions of the globe.

Our research spans four key themes – political economy, politics and policy, culture and society, and migration. Teaching and research draw on the expertise of staff from many different disciplines across LSE, including politics, economics and sociology.

The institute is outward facing. We run dozens of events each year, with workshops, seminars and presentations, welcoming high-profile speakers, including former presidents, prime ministers, foreign and finance ministers, distinguished scholars and influential commentators.

Internationally, we’ve forged close links with several partner institutions –Sciences Po (Paris), Bocconi University (Milan) and Fudan University (Shanghai), with whom we run double master’s programmes.

• Find out more about our Alumni
• Video Highlight | LSE European Institute: An Introduction
• Video Highlight | Welcome to LSE: Our official campus tour video
• Find out more about out faculty
• Connect with us on social media

European Institute

Who's who

Jonathan White

Deputy Head of Department and Programme Director for MSc Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• statement of academic purpose
• two academic references
• CV.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework, which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for your summative assessments, which count towards the course mark, and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative and summative assessments, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, exams, online assessments, and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course. An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant course guide.

The programme will provide you with a strong foundation for a variety of academic and non-academic careers, in the private or public sector at national, European, or global levels; foreign policy; journalism; education; working for activist organisations in the NGO sector; or working in specialised agencies concerned, for example, with migrants or minorities.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.